If you’re an elite sailing geek like me you may want to check out Thomas Colville’s solo round the world record attempt that’s happening right now on the trimaran Sodebo. After 20 days at sea he is only 5300 nautical miles from the finish and is a whopping 1600 nautical miles ahead of the […]
Learning to read the weather is core to learning to sail. Whether being able to get an idea if it is safe to go on your sailing trip, or to judge the weather patterns for a longer passage, it really helps to know as much as you can about the science of meteorology. I’d even […]
So, the Olympic sailing circus has left Rio. Has it improved opportunities to learn to sail there? While Brazil came away with a Gold medal at the sailing events, and the waters are some of the most beautiful on the world (at least on the surface) there isn’t much for those inspired to learn to […]
In 2015 I wrote about the outcry as the International Paralympic Association (IPA) pulled the plug on future Paralympic sailing. In 2012, 23 nations had entries in the Games, while in 2016 at Rio, only 16 teams had entries. The IPA dropped sailing from Tokyo in 2020 for one simple reason – not enough nations […]
So, the Olympics is over again. More smiles on the podium, and hundreds of young sailors who can move on with their lives with ‘Competed in the Rio Olympics for my country’s team’ on their CVs yet who confidently could say they had no hope at a medal from the start. This isn’t to slag […]
Most yachtsmen and many of the non sailing public will be aware of the ultra fast foiling classes of boat such as the America’s Cup and the GC32 catamarans that captivate audiences around the world while blasting along at 50mph. Technology has raced ahead of boating qualifications and where photographers boats were once seen as […]
I was in an Indian restaurant in Lyme Regis this weekend when I got talking with the couple sat at the next table. They were late middle aged, and had taken early retirement from their jobs in London and moved to Dorset for its pace of life and character – something you see a lot […]
The 2015 US Coast Guard (USCG) safety statistics have been released and there is a clear (if not obvious) message – those without instruction in boating safety are far more at risk of fatal accidents than those who have had training. Another issue is that intoxication at sea is a killer too. USCG Statistics […]
Owning a boat is an expensive affair. Keeping a 40ft yacht in a South Coast marina can cost £5000 a year, and then you will need to pay insurance and maintenance, as well as hauling it out every year to keep its underside in good condition. It is no wonder that there’s a saying that […]
This weekend I took my partner on a sailing experience day with a sailing school in Lymington in the UK. Though the RYA Start Yachting course is two days long, the idea is to let the potential sailor see if they enjoy it. Judging by the conversion of my sailing sceptical partner, perhaps only a […]